Automatic document feeding device for a printing mechanism of an adding or accounting machine



y 1968 a. RICCIARDI ETAL 3,381,955

AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDING DEVICE FOR A PRINTING MECHANISM OF AN ADDING OR ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTORS GlUSEPPE RICCIARDI SERGIO GARBERI BY 7 Z f WW AGENT y 1968 cs. RICCIARDI ETAL 3,381,955

AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDING DEVICE FOR A PRINTING MECHANISM OF AN ADDING 0R ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 3, 1966 5 Sheets-Sheet a:

INVENTORg GIUSEPPE RICCI RDl SERGIO GARBERI BY T y 1968 a. RICCIARDI ETAL 3,381,955

AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDING DEVICE FOR A PRINTING MECHANISM OF AN ADDING OR ACCOUNTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 5, 1966 3 Sheets-Sheet :5

INVENTORS GIUSEPPE RICCIARDI SERGIO GARBERI United States Patent 3,381,955 AUTOMATIC DOCUMENT FEEDING DEVICE FOR A PRINTING MECHANISM OF AN ADDING OR ACCOUNTING MACHINE Giuseppe Ricciardi and Sergio Garberi, Ivrea, Italy, as-

signors to lug. C. Olivetti & C., S.p.A., Ivrea, Italy, a corporation of Italy Filed Oct. 3, 1966, Ser. No. 583,709 Claims priority, application Italy, Oct. 9, 1965, 22,711/ 65 Claims. (Cl. 271-4) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An automatic document feeding device for an accounting machine controlled by a program control device to print each document in a sequence of printing Operations, comprises a clutch for moving the program support through a set of stations. Each document is fed from a stack by the operation of a main operating mechanism and upon encountering a shiftable member causes said clutch to be engaged, said support being adapted to cause the operation of said mechanism to feed the next document. The first document is fed by said mechanism upon operating a starting key. U

This invention relates to an automatic document feeding device for a printing mechanism of an adding or accounting machine adapted to print each document in a sequence of printing operations controlled by a program control device comprising a support intermittently movable through a set of stations, each one associated with one of said operations.

In a known printing adding machine of the above men tioned type, the documents are individually fed by inserting each document manually into a suitable slot, whereby the printing operation requires a long time and the constant attention of the operator.

These disadvantages are obviated by the automatic document feeding device according to the invention, which comprises a container for a stack of documents to be fed, each document when so fed being adapted to cause a first cyclically operating mechanism to move said support sequentially through said set of stations, and is characterized in that the documents of said stack are individually fed to said printing mechanism by a second cyclically operating mechanism adapted to be conditioned for operation by a shiftable member controlled by said support upon being moved a predetermined extent.

This and other characteristics of the invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment, and from the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a left hand partial longitudinal sectional view of a printing adding machine incorporating an automatic document feeding device according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view taken according to the line III--III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view taken according the line IV--IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a partial frontal sectional view taken according to the line V-V of FIG. 2.

The automatic document feeding device is incorporated in a printing adding machine adapted to print documents, for example bank checks 9 to be then handled by automatic character recognizing apparatus. Each check is printed in a sequence of printing operations controlled by a program control device comprising a support or Patented May 7, 1968 drum 5 (FIG. 5) provided with a set of of function controlling plates 6. The drum 5 is adapted to be rotated clockwise by a first cyclically operating mechanism comprising a pair of toothed wheels 7. These Wheels 7 are adapted to be rotated one revolution upon engaging a one cycle clutch 8, in the manner described in the US. Patent Application Ser. No. 445,656, now Patent No. 3,318,520, which will be here shortly described.

Each check 9 is fed from left to right (upwards in FIG. 2) to be located in front of a printing mechanism, generically identified by the numeral 10, by means of a set of rollers 11 cooperating with a set of counter-rollers 12. Each roller 11 is rotated by a pair of bevel gears 13 (FIG. 5) operated by a continuously rotating shaft 14. The check 9, upon engaging a pair of lugs of a slide 15, rocks displaces the slide 15 rightwards thus rocking a lever 16 (FIG. 2) counterclockwise. The slide 15 (FIG. 2), upon being so displaced, is slightly rocked counterclockwise by the cooperation of a stationary pin 153 with a cam edge 154 of the slide 15. Therefore the lugs 150 are brought out of the path of the check 9, which is thus released and can be fed by the rollers 11 and 12. The lever 16 in turn rocks an arm 17 (FIG. 5) clockwise, concomitantly with a second arm 18 secured thereto through a shaft 151 rotatably mounted on the machine frame.

Therefore the arm 18 causes the engagement of the clutch 8, which is operated by a shaft 152 through a friction joint not shown in the drawings, in order to enable the drum 5 to be arrested through the plates 6 in a set of stations. In each station the plate 6 controls a printing machine operation in a known manner. A cam 19 integral with the drum 5 cooperates with a locking lever 22 urged by a spring 21 and fulcrumed on a stationary pivot 23 to normally hold the drum 5 at rest.

The automatic feeding device comprises a container 24 (FIGS. 1 and 2) adapted to contain a stack of checks 9, and a plate 26 located in the container 24 and adapted to press the checks 9. To this end the plate 26 is secured to a slide 27 (FIG. 1) slidably mounted on a stationary pin 28 and provided with a pin 29 normally urged by a spring 36 to contact a lever 31 fulcrumed at 32. The lever 31 is linked through a link 33 with a crank lever 34 secured to a shaft 36 rotatably mounted on the machine frame. Furthermore, secured to the shaft 36 is a toothed wheel 37 meshing with a pinion 38 having a diameter half the diameter of the wheel 37. The pinion 38 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 39 continuously rotated counterclockwise by a conventional electric motor not shown in the drawings. Secured to the shaft 39 is a pulley 41 connected through a belt 42 with a second pulley 43 rotatably mounted on another shaft 44 comprised in a second cyclically operating mechanism.

The pinion 38 is adapted to be connected with the shaft.

39 for one revolution by means of a one cycle clutch, generically identified by the numeral 46, and normally held disengaged by a lever 47 fulcrumed on a stationary pivot 48. The lever 47 is connected through a link 49 with a lever 51 fulcrumed on a stationary pivot 52 and normally urged by a spring 53 to contact a stationary stop 54. The lever 51 is provided with a projection 55 adapted to be engaged by a pin 56 of the stern of a motor key 57, which upon being depressed controls in a known manner a printing cycle of the main shaft of the adding machine, not shown in the drawings.

The shaft 44 represents the main shaft of the automatic feeding device, and is adapted to be connected with the pulley 43 for one revolution, by means of another one cycle clutch 59 normally held disengaged by a shifting member or lever 61. This latter is fulcrumed on a stationpary pin 62 and is normally urged by a spring 63 to contact a stationary stop 64. Furthermore, the lever 61 is provided with a pin 66 normally cooperating with a shoulder 67 of a first element or slide 68 slidably mounted on a stationary pin 69. The slide 68 is normally urged by a spring 71 to contact longitudinally the pin 69, and vertically a pin 72 of a lever 73 fulcrumed on a stationary shaft 74. The lever 73 is provided with a forked end 76 engaging an arm 77 of the lever 22 (FIG. Finally, the slide 68 is provided with a projection 78 (FIG. 1) adapted to be engaged by a pin 79 secured to the toothed wheel 37 and shown by continuous lines in FIG. 1.

A second element or slide 86 is provided with a shoulder 87 adapted to cooperate with the pin 66 of the lever 61 but normally located over this pin. The slide 86 is linked with a horizontal lever 89 and is normally urged by a spring 84 to contact a pin 83 of a lever 82 pivoted on the shaft 74. The lever 82 is urged by a spring 81 to contact the pin 79 of the toothed wheel 37. In turn the lever 89 (FIG. 2) is pivoted at 90 and is linked with a transverse slide 91. The slide 91 is linked with a lever 92 (FIG. 5) fulcrumed at 93 and normally urged by a spring 94 to contact a stationary stop 95. A projection 96 of the lever 92 is adapted to be engaged by a projection 97 provided on a predetermined plate 6' of the drum 5.

Secured to the main shaft 44 (FIG. 1) is a cam 98 normally contacted by a lever 100 fulcrumed on a shaft 101 and urged counterclockwise by a spring 99. The shaft 101 is rotatably mounted on the machine frame and is secured to a pinion 102 constantly meshing with a toothed wheel 103 secured to the shaft 44. Furthermore, fulcrumed on the lever 100 are two inter-meshing pinions 104 and 105, the pinion 104 meshing also with the pinion 102, the pinion 105 being secured to an aligning roller 106. This latter is adapted to cooperate with the checks 9 through a window 107 of the container 24, but it is norrn-ally held distanced apart from the checks 9 by the cam 98.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft 101 is a bail 108 (FIG. 3) having a transverse portion integral with a collar 109, rotatably mounting a shaft 110. Secured to the shaft 110 is a bevel gear 111 meshing with another bevel gear 112 secured to the shaft 101. Furthermore, the bail 108 is provided with an arm 113 normally urged by a spring 114 to contact a second cam 116 of the shaft 44. Secured to the shaft 110 is also a roller 1'17 adapted to cooperate through a window-1 18 of the container 24 with a second roller 119, but normally held by the cam 116 distanced apart therefrom.

The roller 119 is rotatably mounted on a pivot 121 of the container 124 and is integral with a pinion 122 meshing with a toothed wheel 123 connected with a vertical shaft 124 by means of a friction joint generically indicated by the numeral 126. The shaft 124 is connected by a pair of bevel gears 127 with a shaft 128, secured to another bevel gear 129 meshing with the bevel gear 112.

Finally, the automatic feeding device is provided with a pair of rollers 131 (FIGS. 2 and 4), each one secured to a vertical shaft 132 adapted to be rotated by the shaft 101 through a correponding pair of bevel gears 133. The shafts 132 are rotatably mounted into a pair of collars 134 secured to a bail 136. The latter is fulcrumed on the shaft 101 and is provided with an arm 137 normally urged by a spring 138 to contact another cam 139 of the main shaft 44.

The automatic feeding device operates as follows:

Normally the plate 26 is in the ineffective position of FIG. 1. After having loaded the container 24 with a stack of checks 9, and the key 57 is depressed, the pin 56 engages the projection 55 and rocks the lever 51 clockwise. The link 49 now rocks the lever 47 counterclockwise thus engaging the clutch 46 to connect the shaft 39 with the pinion 38 for one revolution counterclockwise.

Now the pinion 38 rotates the wheel 37 half a revolution clockwise, together with the shaft 36 and the crank 4 lever 34. This lever through the link 33 rocks the lever 31 clockwise thus releasing the pin 29 of the slide 27. Now the spring 30 urges the plate 26 to press the checks 9 against the fore side of the container 24, whereby the feeding device is ready to feed the checks 9.

In turn the pin 79 of the wheel 37 releases the lever 82, which is rocked clockwise by the spring 81, thus causing the spring 84 to lower the slide 86 and to locate the shoulder 87 in effective position for engaging the pin 66 of the lever 61. Near the end of the cycle of the wheel 38, the pin 79 of the wheel 37 engages the projection 78 and displaces the slide 68 forwards. Then the shoulder 67 of the slide 68 engages the pin 66 and rocks the lever 61 counterclockwise thus causing the clutch 59 to be enagaged for one cycle of the main shaft 44. The pin 79 reaches then the position indicated by broken lines in FIG. 1, whereby the slide 68 is returned rearwards by the spring 71.

The shaft 44 through the toothed wheel 103 rotates now the pinion 102 clockwise together with the shaft 101. Then the pinion 102 through the pinion 104 rotates the pinion and the aligning roller 106 clockwise. Furthermore the shaft 101, through the bevel gears 112, 111 (FIG. 3) and 133 (FIG. 4), rotates the roller 117 (FIG. 2) and the two rollers 131 clockwise. Finally the shaft 101 (FIG. 3), through the bevel gears 112, 129 and 127, the friction joint 126 and the toothed wheel 123, rotates the pinion 12 (FIG. 2) and the roller 119 also clockwise.

At the beginning of the cycle of the shaft 44, the cam 98 (FIG. 1) causes the spring 99 to rock the lever 100 counterclockwise, whereby the aligning roller 106 is brought to the position shown by broken lines in FIG. 1 to contact the first check 9 of the stack to be fed. Now the roller 106 pushes the first check 9 downwards to align it exactly on the lower side of the container 24.

Thereafter the cam 98 returns the roller 106 to the position of FIG. 1, while the cam 116 (FIG. 3) causes the spring 114 to rotate the bail 108 counterclockwise, whereby the rollers 117 contacts the roller 119. Simultaneously the cam 139 (FIG. 4) causes the spring 138 to rotate the bail 136 counterclockwise, whereby the rollers 131 (FIG. 2) engage the first check 9 of the stack. Then the rollers 131 (FIG. 2.) push this check 9 between the rollers 117 and 119, which being rotated in the same direction prevent more than one check 9 at a time from being fed.

The first check is thus brought between the rollers 11 and 12. Now the cam 139 removes the rollers 131 from the checks and thereafter the cam 116 removes the roller 117 from the roller 119. The rollers 11 and 12 push the fed check 9 against the lugs of the slide 15, thus engaging the clutch 8 of the drum 5 in the manner above described.

As soon as the drum 5 leaves the rest position shown in FIG. 5, the cam 19 rocks the lever 22 counterclockwise. In turn the lever 22 rocks the lever 73 (FIG. 1) counterclockwise, whereby the pin 72 raises the slide 68,

thus bringing the shoulder 67 into a position ineffective for engaging the pin 66. Therefore, when the drum 5 is out of the rest position, the action of the pin 79 has no effect on the lever 61. This action may happen in the case the key 57 is depressed twice during the cycle of the drum 5. g

Near the end of the cycle of the drum 5 (FIG. 5), the projection 97 of the plate 6' engages the projection 96 of the lever 92, which is thus rocked counterclockwise. Then the lever 92, through the slide 91 and the lever 89, pushes the slide 86 (FIG. 1) forwards. Now the shoulder 87 engages the pin 66 and rocks the lever 61 counterclockwise, thus causing the clutch 59 to be engaged for a new feeding cycle of the shaft 44.

It is thus clear that the checks 9 of the stack are individually fed to the printing mechanism 10 by a second cyclically operating mechanism 44 adapted to be conditioned for operation by a shiftable member 61 controlled by the program drum 5 upon being moved a predetermined extent.

When the feeding device is to be stopped the key 57 is again depressed and, through the lever 51, the link 49 and the lever 47, causes the clutch 46 to elfect another cycle of the pinion 38. Now the pinion 38 rotates the wheel 37 another half a revolution together with the shaft 36 and the crank lever 34. This latter through the link 33 and the lever 31 restores the slide 27 together with the plate 26 to the position of FIG. 1.

Simultaneously, the pin 79 of the wheel 37 is moved from the position shown by broken lines in FIG. 1 to the position shown by solid lines, thus returning the lever 82 counterclockwise. Then the pin 83 returns the slide 86 to the ineffective position shown in FIG. 1. Therefore, at the end of the cycle of the drum 5, when the slide 86 is moved forwards, the shoulder 87 does not engage the pin 66, and the clutch 59 is not engaged, whereby the feeding device is stopped.

It is intended that many changes, improvements and additions of parts may be made to the described automatic feeding device, without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What we claim is:

1. In an adding or accounting machine having a printing mechanism adapted to print each document in a sequence of printing operations controlled by a program control device comprising a support intermittently movable through a set of stations, each one associated with one of said operations, an automatic document feeding device, comprising in combination:

(a) a container for a stack of documents to be fed,

(b) a first cyclically operating mechanism for moving said support sequentially through said set of stations,

(c) a second cyclically operating mechanism for individually feeding the documents of said stack to said printing mechanism,

(d) means engageable by each document when so fed for conditioning said first mechanism for operation,

(e) a control member on said support,

(f) a shiftable member for conditioning said second mechanism for operation,

(g) and intermediate means engageable by said control member when said support has been moved a predetermined extent for shifting said shiftable member.

2. In an adding or accounting machine having a printing mechanism adapted to print each document in a sequence of printing operations controlled by a program control device comprising a support intermittently movable through a set of stations, each one associated with one of said operations, an automatic document feeding device, comprising in combination:

(a) a container for a stack of documents to be fed,

(b) a first cyclically operating mechanism for moving said support sequentially through said set of stations,

(c) a second cyclically operating mechanism for individually feeding the documents of said stack to said printing mechanism,

((1) means operated by each document when so fed for conditioning said first mechanism for operation,

(e) a shiftable member for conditioning said second mechanism for operation,

(f) a normally ineffective plate for pressing the documents of said stack to enable said documents to be automatically fed,

(g) an operable manual member,

(h) means effective upon operation of said manual member for rendering said plate effective and for shifting said shiftable member,

(i) a control member on said support,

(j) and intermediate means engageable by said control member when said support has been moved a predetermined extent for shifting said shiftable mem- 3. In an adding or accounting machine having a printing mechanism adapted to print each document in a sequence of printing operations controlled by a program control device comprising a support intermittently movable through a set of stations, each one associated with one of said operations, an automatic feeding device, comprising in combination:

(a) a container for a stack of documents to be fed,

(b) a first cyclically operating for moving said support sequentially through said set of stations,

(c) a second cyclically operating mechanism for individually feeding the documents of said stack to said printing mechanism,

(d) means engageable by each document when so fed for conditioning said first mechanism for operation,

(e) a control member on said support,

(f) a shiftable member for conditioning said second mechanism for operation,

(g) a manually operable member,

(h) a first element operable for shifting said shiftable member in response to alternate operations of said manually operable member,

(i) a normally ineffective second element operable by said control member when said support is moved a predetermined extent for shifting said shiftable mem- 1 er,

(j) and means drivable in response to the alternate operations of said manually operable member for rendering said second element temporarily effective.

4. In an adding or accounting machine having a printing mechanism adapted to print each document in a sequence of printing operations controlled by a program control device comprising a support intermittently movable through a set of stations, each one associated with one of said operations, an automatic document feeding device, comprising in combination:

(a) a container for a stack of documents to be fed,

(-b) a first cyclically operating mechanism for moving said support sequentially through said set of stations,

(c) a first one cycle clutch adapted to be engaged for operating said first mechanism,

(d) a second cyclically operating mechanism for individually feeding the documents of said stack from said container to said printing device,

(e) a second one cycle clutch adapted to be engaged for operating said second mechanism,

(f) a normally ineffective plate for pressing the documents of said stack to enable said documents to be automatically fed upon operation of said second mechanism,

(g) means operated by each document when so fed for engaging said first clutch,

(h) a third one cycle clutch,

(i) a shaft adapted to be cyclically rotated by said third clutch half a revolution,

(j) a key depressible for engaging said third clutch,

(k) a member shiftable for engaging said second clutch,

(l) a first element operable for shifting said shiftable member,

(m) a control member on said support,

(n) a normally ineffective second element operable by said control member when said support is moved a predetermined extent for shifting said shiftable memer,

(0) means drivable for rendering said second element temporarily effective,

(p) and means secured to said shaft for operating said first element for rendering said plate effective and for driving said drivable means at alternate cycles of said shaft.

7 8 5. In an adding or accounting machine according to References Cited claim 4, the combination comprising: UNITED STATES PATENTS E; a 3 sewed L 95? f0 e d 3,171,594 3/1965 Gassino 23540.47

r e y r r n first element ineffective when said second clutch is 5 engaged. RICHARD E. AEGERTER, Primary Examiner. 

